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The public is invited to learn about – and comment on – a new project by Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and Elings Park at a series of four public forums led by Denise Knapp, Ph.D., the Garden’s director of conservation and research, and Scot Pipkin, their director of education.


The Landscape Transformation Project is a collaborative effort between the two partners and the public to transform an acre of the Park from invasive to entirely California-native plants and document the effects.


The final meeting is on Wednesday September 13 at Garden’s Blaksley Library from 5:30 to 7 p.m.


“Native plants lay the foundation that supports all life on Earth. Through the transformation at Elings Park, we’ll be able to demonstrate, through science, the value of native plants and a healthy ecosystem,” said Dr. Knapp. “We want the public not only to hear about what we hope to achieve but to weigh in on our plans. Later, they’ll have a chance to get their hands dirty as we plant and tend to the plants.”


The project began with a Bioblitz on May 11 in which participants used the iNaturalist smartphone app to record birds, bugs, plants, and more that they discovered at Elings Park’s South Bluffs. Several native California plant species identified on that day will be planted in the new area, along with others, including those suggested during the public meetings.


Ongoing monthly Nature Walks led by Garden experts explore the park’s biodiversity – and one of the public meetings is scheduled following the August 19 walk (see below).
The project’s one-acre location on the South Bluffs has been selected and staff and project volunteers will clear the plot of invasive plant species, prepare the soil, then plant and monitor the native species. Earlier this spring, Garden staff began monitoring plants, birds, pollinators, and other bugs and will be following up after planting to gather additional data on the site’s vitality. Data before and after the transformation will be compared, and both will be compared to an adjacent invaded area.
Elings Park opened in 1985 as the result of a community campaign to turn the former landfill into a public park. First encompassing 90 acres, the Park expanded to 230 acres in 1994 with the purchase of an adjacent property. Currently, approximately 75% is undeveloped.
“We’ve recently made a major push to bring native plants back to the Park. Over the past two years, we’ve removed non-natives and planted over 250 California native oaks, plus thousands of native grasses and shrubs,” says Dean Noble, Elings Park executive director. “This project concentrates natives in one area, and powerfully demonstrates how this transformation can impact an entire ecosystem.”
It is a diverse landscape with recreation and natural ecosystems side by side. Nine miles of trails traverse shady oak groves and sunny, ocean-facing hillsides covered with chaparral. Youth and adults enjoy league play in softball, soccer, rugby, lacrosse, and tennis. Special areas are dedicated to BMX racing, hang gliding, paragliding, disc golf, and remote-controlled cars and airplanes. It is also a popular location for weddings and special events.

Celebrated blues legend Taj Mahal brings his glorious voice and virtuosic multi-instrumentalism to this uniquely powerful evening of new world music. A musical innovator, cultural ambassador and winner of the 2023 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album, Taj Mahal’s long career touches on every imaginable strand in the fabric of roots music. Joining the Taj Mahal Quartet is Gambia’s griot kora sensation Sona Jobarteh, who regularly plays to sold-out crowds all over the world. Witness the alchemy of African griot traditions and American blues in this special evening.

NAMBA’s Playwrights’ Splash Festival, 5 Cultures and 5 Perspectives in 5 Shows presenting 5 Years or 5 Minutes, Sunday, August 6, 7 pm. Written and performed by Jonatan Pinke, directed by MJ Karmi. Winner Hollywood Producers Encore Award. Nominated for Best Solo Show & Splash Award at the 2023 Hollywood Fringe Festival.

Based on a true experience, a young man says goodbye to his family and friends to find his story. With only a backpack, while Covid closes borders, he finds himself on the streets of Spain scared, hungry and in a lot of pain. See how he survives it all with an epic tale of adventure to tell.

NAMBA’s Splash Award Winner of the Hollywood Fringe! As headliner for our Playwrights’ Splash Festival, 5 Cultures and 5 Perspectives in 5 Shows - Ode to la Pachuca will be performed Saturday August 5, 3 & 7 pm by Contemporary Arte in Movement; choreography by Laurie Muniz, written by Jessica Cornejo.

Celebrating Pachuca culture through dance and spoken word, a young woman explores her pachuca roots and discovers the untold stories of the women on the forefront of the Mexican American experience.

Program:
Debussy: Violin Sonata in G Minor, L. 140
Szymanowski: Mythes, op. 30
Erkki-Sven Tüür: Conversio for Violin and Piano
Stravinsky: Divertimento from Le Baiser de la fée


An invaluable advocate for living composers, Leila Josefowicz has premiered dozens of new works for violin including concertos written expressly for her by John Adams, Esa Pekka-Salonen and many others. Josefowicz’ program illuminates the path to contemporary music that travels through expressionism. Works by Debussy and Szymanowski transport us to a lush, harmonic fantasy world, while those by Tüür and Stravinsky continue our journey into a more visceral realm that delights us with unexpected humor, excitement and passion.

The Victorian Era was a peculiar time to live in, to say the least. The social-political backdrop and the life & reign of Queen Victoria had a major impact on the art and architecture of this period. The Industrial Revolution required architects to rethink their designs and adapt them to the needs of the people who were finding it difficult to survive. The life of Victorian society was often filled with rapidly changing morals, resulting in some curious, weird, and creepy oddities. This two-part lecture will give us a look at the art and architectural movements of the time, including the Gothic Revival period, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, and the Arts & Crafts movement, as well as some of the more peculiar designs of the period, such as hair sculptures and poisonous wallpaper. It’s going to be an interesting journey!

Eleanor Schrader is an award-winning educator, lecturer, and author. She lectures worldwide on art and architectural history, and leads art and architecture tours throughout the world. She has been named a Distinguished Instructor at UCLA Extension, where she teaches history of architecture, interior design, furniture, and decorative arts. She is also Professor Emeritus of Art and Architectural History at Santa Monica College. She has done graduate work in fine and decorative arts at Sotheby's Institute in London and New York. She has served as a Design Review Commissioner for the City of Beverly Hills and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the John Lautner Foundation.

Grammy Award winners Roomful of Teeth have carved themselves a niche as one of America’s most interesting contemporary vocal ensembles. Collaborating with artists and thinkers from around the world, the group seeks to amplify voices old and new and expand the capabilities of the human voice. Their engaging program features works by founding member Caroline Shaw, special guest Gabriel Kahane and other composers known for creating meaningful and adventurous new music.

Marine biologist, policy advisor and writer Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is co-founder of Urban Ocean Lab, a think tank for the future of coastal cities, and co-creator of the podcast How to Save a Planet. Her forthcoming book, What if We Get It Right? offers answers to the crucial question: What would the future look like if we forged ahead with all the solutions to actually address the climate crisis? With grace and humanity, Johnson encourages us to step away from hopelessness and envision possibility.

Dr. Abraham Verghese’s instant New York Times bestseller, The Covenant of Water, was released in May to widespread critical acclaim and was named Oprah’s Book Club pick. One of the most masterful literary novels published in recent years, the book is the long-awaited follow-up to Verghese’s previous novel, Cutting for Stone, which topped the New York Times bestseller list for more than two years, is being adapted for film and was named one of Amazon’s 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime. A distinguished Stanford professor and a prominent voice in medicine, Verghese received the National Humanities Medal from President Obama.

For 40 years, Mountain Stage has been one of the most beloved programs in public radio history.

Eclectic, authentic and unpredictable, the show’s varied guests have included iconic artists from John Prine and Townes Van Zandt to Wilco and Phish. Under the leadership of Grammy Award-winning country and bluegrass star Kathy Mattea since 2021, Mountain Stage continues to bring surefire energy and mountain music magic to parts known and unknown. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this live recording session with Mattea and a lineup of special guest bands.